The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons named their game-day inactives on Sunday at 11:30 p.m. ET, 90 minutes before kickoff of their Week 17 contest at Raymond James Stadium. NFL teams are required to reduce their active rosters to 46 players for each regular-season game.
The Buccaneers did not expect Pro Bowl wide receiver Chris Godwin to return from his Week 15 hamstring injury in time to suit up for the season finale, but Sunday's inactive list officially closes the book on his breakout 1,333-yard, nine-touchdown season. The Bucs also placed Pro Bowl wideout Mike Evans on injured reserve last week and will finish the season with Breshad Perriman and Justin Watson as their starters. Two rookie wide receivers – Cyril Grayson and Spencer Schnell – made their NFL debuts for Tampa Bay last week and recently-signed third-year man Jaydon Mickens is active could make his first Buccaneer appearance on Sunday.
In addition, rookie John Franklin has a chance to play in his first NFL game since being promoted from the practice squad this week. Franklin has been listed as a cornerback on the Buccaneers' roster but the team changed his jersey number to 14 and now have him listed as a wide receiver.
Left tackle Donovan Smith and quarterback Jameis Winston were listed as questionable on Friday's injury report but both have been cleared to play. Winston will be playing his third straight game with a fracture in the thumb on his throwing hand. Smith saw his 77-start streak end two weeks ago due to knee and ankle injuries but was able to return to the field in Week 16 and will now finish out the season in his customary spot on the line.
The Falcons will be without defensive end Adrian Clayborn, who made his first start of the season last week against Jacksonville after Takk McKinley landed on injured reserve. Clayborn suffered a knee injury in that Jaguars game and will not get to take the field in his first NFL home; he was a first-round draft pick by the Buccaneers in 2011.
BUCCANEERS INACTIVES
· DL Beau Allen
· OLB Kahzin Daniels
· WR Chris Godwin
· T Jerald Hawkins
· TE Codey McElroy
· WR Spencer Schnell
· G Aaron Stinnie
Allen and Godwin are out due to injury.
FALCONS INACTIVES
· G Jamon Brown
· DE Adrian Clayborn
· S Chris Cooper
· G Sean Harlow
· WR Brandon Powell
· LB Ahmad Thomas
· OL John Wetzel
Brown, Clayborn and Powell are out due to injury or illness.
